I have always suffered from the common affliction of dry hair and am always on the lookout for new moisturising hair treatments.

The problem is that I gave up traditional shampoos, conditioners and hair products a year ago - these days, I wash with warm water and apple cider vinegar alone - so am looking for the perfect natural hair treatment.

I was in my local health food store last week when I picked up a leaflet extolling the virtues of coconut oil (also known as coconut butter as it is actually solid at room temperature).

Apparently coconut oil is the latest wonder product for use on your skin, hair and even for your general health by taking several tablespoons daily.

I don’t think I’m quite ready to start swallowing copious amounts of pure coconut oil just yet, however I was interested in trying it as a hair treatment. And at just $7.90 a jar, why not?

One night over the weekend I combed a small amount through my hair, concentrating it on the dry ends, then tied it up and left it overnight (you’ll need to put an old towel over your pillow for this). The next morning, wash it out with your regular shampoo and conditioner as normal.

The results were nothing short of amazing! The coconut oil left my dry hair feeling soft and moisturised and it even looked much shinier. I’ll definitely be using this on a weekly basis going forward.

Two words of warning - don’t use too much as it will make your hair greasy and only use virgin coconut oil as the hydrolysed version can contain products that are not so good for your hair.

By Caroline Warnes

By now, we’ve all heard of the Apple iPod phenomenon: the much-hyped music (and sometimes video) players that have been featured everywhere from ads to movies to television as well as on every second person on the street.

But what are some alternatives when it comes to MP3 players? Well the iRiver music and video players - including the X20 - are a nice option, and they’re very affordable, too.

The X20 isn’t just a music player. It features a 2.2-inch screen so you can watch film clips as well as view photos you have saved on the device. It comes with 2GB, 4GB or 8GB of on-board memory. What’s more, the iRiver X20 also packs in an FM radio, microphone and line-in port so you can make recordings.

Performance is also very capable. The sound quality excels and the video looks good on the smallish screen.

If you’re not fussed on having the same player that everyone else is sporting, the iRiver X20 offers more than enough features to make up for it.

Click here to find offers on iRiver players near you.

By Caroline Warnes

I’ve raved before about the Stem Organics skincare line, a local brand that uses the best certified organic and natural ingredients.

The Stem Organics range consists of cleansers, toners, serums and moisturisers, made from a variety of lush ingredients.

One favourite of mine is the Intensive Eye Serum - ingredients such as organic aloe, rosehip oil, cucumber, Kakadu plum extract and raspberry seed extract refresh the eye area and lessen the appearance of fine lines and dark circles.

Stem Organics has just launched a range of travel size products into selected Myer stores, perfect for a weekend away. The 15ml bottles last around a week and should fit neatly into your suitcase.

To celebrate the launch of Stem Organics’ travel range, we have four prize packs to give away.

First prize consists of full-sized bottles of Gentle Cleansing Milk, Smooth Skin Exfoliant, Fresh Start Serum and the perfect moisturiser for your skin type and is valued at $205.

We also have travel packs to give away to three runners up, valued at $35.70 each. Each pack consists of a travel-sized Smooth Skin Exfoliant and Gentle Cleansing Milk, as well as a Stem Organics sample kit.

To be in the running to win one of these prizes, all you have to do is email stemorganics@lasoo.com.au with the word ORGANIC in the subject line and tell me in 25 words or less which Stem Organics product you’d most like to try, and why. Entries close next Wednesday.

Competition terms and conditions

By Caroline Warnes

After I left school, I couldn’t get rid of my old blazer fast enough, but now I’m kind of wishing I still had it.

I’ve seen the classic blazer worn lately with unstructured feminine dresses (such as this one by local label Sumakhi) and it looks fantastic - a floaty, feminine dress takes away the “preppy” edge (so you can avoid looking like you just went on a shopping spree at Ralph Lauren) and it’s also perfect for this transitional Autumn weather, when it can go from warm to cool in the blink of an eye.

And with winter coming up, a school-style blazer looks great with jeans and makes a nice alternative to the classic trench coat on cold days.

I am absolutely in love with this Old School Blazer (pictured here) from Gwen Stefani’s label, L.A.M.B however I’m not sure if I’m willing to spend $US285 plus shipping for it!

Witchery’s Contrast Jodphur Jacket has a similar feel but is more fitted than the L.A.M.B. blazer.

I’m hoping to see more styles like this hit the stores in the coming months.

By Caroline Warnes

The Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd is an older-model compact digital camera and is currently being replaced with newer models, which means you can get it for a song at some retailers.

In fact, you can pick up the Fujifilm Z5fd for under $200, which is a great price for a camera that combines good performance with some seriously stylish looks.

The Z5fd features 6.3-megapixel resolution and a 3x optical zoom lens. It also includes some nice features for a point-and-shoot camera, including a range of shooting modes and face detection technology.

It also has some nice features for use on the web, including a mode where you can save your images in an optimised format for publishing on a blog.

In terms of design, the sliding lens cover adds a nice stylish touch to the overall package.

Click here to find offers on the Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd digital camera near you.

By Caroline Warnes

When it comes to iconic US menswear labels, they don’t get much bigger than Hanes.

The basic white Beefy-T was worn by some of our favourite American superstars - Bruce Springsteen sported it on-stage many times during his “Born in the USA” days and it was also seen on the likes of James Dean and Marlon Brando in their classic films.

Underneath his leather jacket, it was even the t-shirt of choice for the Fonz as he sauntered around the set of “Happy Days”.

These days, the brand is endorsed by actor Cuba Gooding Jnr and basketballer Michael Jordan.

And now some good news for Fonzie fans. Hanes is launching in Australia this month and as well as the Beefy-T there is also a collection of briefs, stretch boxers, a cotton singlet as well as a cotton creck neck t-shirt and a cotton V-neck t-shirt.

Locally, you’ll be able to find the range at Myer stores around the country.

By Caroline Warnes

Yesterday marked the last day of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival and the day belonged entirely to Target.

Held at the waterside location of Central Pier in Docklands, Target hosted an all-afternoon event, including some free attractions outside in the 35 degree sunshine including a concert by The Veronicas.

But it was the action inside that I was excited about - that is, the two fashion shows to launch Target’s new collections (in particular, the latest Designers For Target range from New York designer, Zac Posen).

Having seen the new collection live on the runway, I have to say that the pictures on the site don’t do the collection full justice. The reds and purples are much more vibrant in person, and the materials are much more luxurious.

The collection was presented with a distinctly 1940s flavour with a modern twist - think Cate Blanchett playing Katharine Hepburn in “The Aviator”, if that makes any sense. The wide-legged pleat detail pants (you can see all these at the DFT website) featured heavily throughout the show, teamed with the various blouses in the collection, tucked in neatly - a great look for the office this winter.

Also a great idea for winter is the black Turkish coffee coat, which is a reinterpretation of the classic trench coat. In person it looks very smart and tailored and is priced well at $199.

And then there are the dresses - which were nothing short of spectacular. I was all ready to be wowed by the full-length Ottoman Dress, which has been featured heavily in promoting the collection and closed the show. And while it was indeed stunning, I was actually more taken with another dress in the collection - the Brocade Trim Ottoman Dress, pictured here. It comes in either brilliant red and black and once again I have to emphasise that it is so much more stunning in the flesh than it is in photos. The detail at the back is so unusual and exquisite and the mid-thigh hemline makes it very wearable for semi-formal and cocktail occasions. And once again, the price is right at $179.

I will have photos from the runway show later this week. The full range hits Target stores on April 3.

By Caroline Warnes

Some people would argue that 1980s rock is best left in the past.

Others would argue that the 1980s were indeed a fertile breeding ground for some classic rock songs, especially when it comes to genres such as hair metal (and if you have to ask what that is, it’s probably best that you don’t know).

If you belong to the latter category, then Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is the video game for you. This variation of the popular series features 30 classic rock tracks from the 1980s, ranging from Poison’s “Nothin’ But a Good Time” to The Vapors’ retro favourite, “Turning Japanese”.

If you haven’t played a Guitar Hero game before, it’s pretty straightforward. Basically, you plug in a guitar peripheral to play the game, and strum along to the game’s songs using buttons on the controller. You are judged on your accuracy compared to the original song and you can play either solo or against friends.

Guitar Hero games can be lots of fun for music lovers of all ages, even if you’ve never played a video game before.

Click here to find offers on Guitar Hero games near you.

By Caroline Warnes

As summer becomes a distant memory this week, it’s time to start thinking about your autumn and winter wardrobe - and for most of us, jeans are a staple.

Jeanswest has long been known as the ultimate denim destination, offering on-trend, quality fitting jeans, but without the crazy designer prices that many denim ranges carry these days.

We have 10 pairs of Jeanswest jeans to give away to Lasoo members this week, valued at $99.99 each. To be in the running to win, email jeanswest@lasoo.com.au with the word JEANSWEST in the subject line and tell me in 25 words or less which is your favourite style of Jeanswest jeans and why. You can see the entire range at the website.

Entries close at 11pm on March 12, 2008.

Competition terms and conditions

By Caroline Warnes

Navman has long been one of the leaders in the GPS/satellite navigation market, and its new S-Series continues to lead the pack.

The Navman S-Series was brought onto the market in Australia towards the end of last year, with the S30 being the entry-level model.

First and foremost the unit has undergone a massive design overhaul, sporting a far more high-end look and a 3.5-inch touchscreen. You use this touchscreen to operate the unit, rather than pressing any physical buttons.

Because this is the entry-level model, it is not as fully featured as its big brothers in the Navman S-Series. Basically, it will give you directions from A to B (and isn’t that the most important thing for a GPS unit?). It comes with the latest maps from Sensis, which will mark out things such as red light and speed cameras for you.

It also comes with a windscreen mount, which gives you easy access to the unit while you’re driving. It can be charged through you car’s cigarette lighter.

Click here to find offers on Navman GPS units near you.

By Caroline Warnes